I am trying to spend less money on things in general, and spending more time doing what I want in life which is not working, and relaxing more. I will accelerate that MO a lot more once my son gets through High School.
Client budget below your typical minimum on an open date you want to book. What do you likely do?
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I am trying to spend less money on things in general, and spending more time doing what I want in life which is not working, and relaxing more. I will accelerate that MO a lot more once my son gets through High School.
This line of work is still in infancy. DJ Producers, if it's true, have been able to make millions. I have not been able to confirm this, but it seems that some DJs have made great strides. But, the truth is that this line of work is maybe 50 years old. When I compare that to the length that humans have been around earth, we're babies. We have a long way to go. I know that Mobile DJs will be around long after I'm gone. I just hope that 50 years from now that they are still NOT charging the prices of the 90s as they are today. Most Mobile DJs still don't take this line of work seriously. I do, and I've had this attitude since the 90s.
Nobody knows what the future holds, but looking at what I see over the last 10 years, I find it hard to believe the Mobile DJ business will be in tact and around in 50 years. At least as far as Mobile DJ goes. We are an aging community. I have seen a lot of DJs retiring, and aging out of the profession. I do not see the younger people coming in droves to replace them. I know some younger DJs, but there are not many of them. I believe I will witness the deterioration of this industry, and DJs being relevant in the event industry as I continue to work it. I am not sure it will have any bearing for supporting a DJ business 15-20 years down the road, but who knows. I could be making assumptions about the future with a narrow view point.
Now, DJ Producers, making music...Yeah that will likely be around in 50 years although I believe a lot of the production and creation of music I believe will be handled by AI. It will let the regular joe schmoe create songs and upload them to the internet. We will probably see people with little DJ Experience, and poor, and nobody knows who they are creating trendy hit songs in the 2050s and beyond.
I'm about 1/3 of the way through Scott Galloway's most recent book, The Algebra of Wealth. I like him, and the book overall, but the one thing that I think is particularly relevant here...
He talks a lot about people pursuing their "Passion" as basically the most awful career advice possible. When you think about the music industry, acting, even things like investment banking... so many people want to do it, that only the .01% of people are going to actually make it. The rest will give everything away just to get try to take a shot. And it essentially makes talent disposable in those industries.
We have a bit of that which goes on in the DJ business. We have folks here on this board that only do this because it's a passion for them. They love it, and they can choose to charge for it like it's a business, or they can choose to charge for it like they're finding money on the sidewalk. That doesn't mean they are wrong to treat it that way - nor does it mean people that take their business seriously are.
It's frustrating for the people that want to elevate it... And a customer might ultimately regret the choice of someone that isn't particularly serious, but maybe not until it's too late. But when you're competing in a group of practitioners where some simply don't price the service like they need the money... it's going to create a wonky market where some people look way over and under-priced and ultimately create confusion for the clients trying to make a good decision.
I would take exception only to this last part, because when we talk about passion we are typically talking about the inherent exceptionalism the comes from doing what we love. Passion is a life choice - not a wealth plan. The author in question may know how to make money, but the pursuit of wealth for wealth's sake is narcissitic, which is to not understand life at all. If we would assume that someone making $60K rather than $60M is somehow stuck because of poor choices or a failure to launch - we will be mistaken most of the time.
Passion is why some DJs are true experts at what they do. Passion is why the work I do feeds my soul as much as anyone's wallet.
It's not passion that creates customer confusion. Intelligent customers who perform due diligence do not have a problem discerning real talent or professionalism from the hustlers.
Just like any field with a low entry threshold DJing is prone too it's "hustlers" - lazy people with few real skills who think it's a easy payday. Then there's the other breed of narcissists and wannabee entertainers seeking a platform for their "misunderstood" talent. The people who hire hustlers or 'misunderstood' talent are not victims - they are volunteers pursuing their own hustle as a buyer.
As a business proposition I am always under priced.
But I also do not over deliver. There is only one bullseye on the target and keeping my eye squarely on what the client has specified as their goal is what produces true appreciation, respect, and recurring business. DJs distracted buy their own need to be seen as something larger than life are often frustrated by the underwhelming appreciation or recognition of their over-the-top effort.
If we hand the customer at our ice cream parlor a banana-split sundae when all they wanted was a dish of ice cream, they will not marvel at our enhanced value. They will know that their wishes were ignored, and return annoyed to have their order corrected. This is a fundamental principle in ALL business and human interaction. Every DJ, Entertainer, or party planner I've known who failed to abide this simple reality has since gone out of business. We simply cannot 'impress' people more by delivering things other than what they actually want.
This is different of course, from simply being attentive and applying our experience or expertise to anticipate customer needs (which is why we are also handed a napkin and spoon with our ice cream even though we neglect to inquire.)
Whatever we deliver has to be consistent with what the customer truly wants. Certainly there is a segment of the market where the customer goal is keeping up with the Jones' or to create a spectacle; out-do, out-spend, and out-produce everyone in their social circle. Here, we simply have to be conscious of what is realistic and not place ourselves in untenable positions. If a client says "I don't want to see the dance floor empty EVER during the night" then it's time to hire professional dancers and insert them into the crowd so I know there always at least 5 people on the floor motivating others.
There is always a way to reach someone's goal, and the business/wealth apsect of that is to remain mindful of whose goal we are producing even if that's not our specific passion.
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What it comes down to is this. There are clients who see what we do as something simple. All you're going to do is just play some music. So why pay a lot of money for someone who is just going to play some songs? Especially the way a lot of DJs do it today. Using a computer to DJ with, music on a HD, powered speakers and a DJ controller. How hard could it be to DJ?
What about a DJ knowing when to say no to doing an event because they are not the right DJ for the event? It's a skill to know how to read a crowd and know what to play when something they are playing isn't working. Depending on the kind of event knowing how to present yourself.
Also it's about the clients you target your business to. If you want to get paid $1,000 and yet you have people contacting you and their budget is $400 for you to do an event for them. It's highly unlikely you will be able to convince them to spend a extra $600 to book you to do the event. As I have said before price alone doesn't tell how good or bad a DJ is.
What about a DJ knowing when to say no to doing an event because they are not the right DJ for the event? It's a skill to know how to read a crowd and know what to play when something they are playing isn't working. Depending on the kind of event knowing how to present yourself.
Also it's about the clients you target your business to. If you want to get paid $1,000 and yet you have people contacting you and their budget is $400 for you to do an event for them. It's highly unlikely you will be able to convince them to spend a extra $600 to book you to do the event. As I have said before price alone doesn't tell how good or bad a DJ is.
It's about building an ideal client base. Just like an artist has it's followers, so should a Mobile DJ. When you (a Mobile DJ) know what you do and who you serve, it's much easier to get your price. Where the line gets blurred is when multi-ops & agencies confuse the customer into thinking that we are all the same. We are NOT! Building a WOM business is a strategy most Mobile DJs still don get or don't want to get.
There will always be a need for a Club DJ, Bar DJ, Radio Personality, DJ Producer/Concert DJ, and yes, Mobile DJs. There will just be less of us and that should lead to higher fees. Simple economics!
As for passion, those who have never read Tony Robbin's book, "Awaken the giant within," will remain ignorant about its value till their death. Sorry about that one.
No problem sir. Eventhough Bob's ego and arrogance can get in the way of some of his post he nailed it. Some just see what we do as an easy way to make money. It may look easy but it's not as easy as it looks.
What I wish this thread was about those DJs who don't have a problem with doing an event for $500 or less. Those DJs who won't do an event for under $500 but consistently get paid up to 1k. Then what about the DJ who won't do an event for under 1k. Next what about the DJ who won't do any event for 1k because they know they can easily get clients who will pay much more than that?
Let me use Taso for an example. His starting price is what a lot of DJs wish they could get paid one time to do an event. I remember he said at certain times of the year he will give a discount. Even with the discount he's still getting paid what a lot of DJs wish they could get paid that much. He consistently get a great price for the service he provides and he's almost done with booking events and it's just half the year gone.
Mix, Any DJ can charge less or the prices of the 90s. There's no excuse required to be explained as to why Mobile DJs are still charging less than 1K for a professional DJ Service post pandemic. I feel that the focus should be on DJs like Taso who are doing it the right way and paving the way for the ignorant to learn or they should make way for those that want to take this line of work seriously. Don't come to a forum and claim that you are a pro when your pricing says otherwise.
For the record, I don't claim to be the most expensive Wedding DJ in my market, but based on my years of research, I probably am the most expensive and I don't have a problem attracting the right clients that are willing to invest in my services.
If you have people contacting you for $400 gigs that’s a reputation or marketing issue that you personally need to own. Doing cheap gigs simply gets you more cheap gigs
Being a professional means you're getting paid for a service you provide and that's it. It doesn't tell how good or bad you are. It's just that you're getting pretty. There good and bad in every profession.
It's more than just getting paid. Making a living is one thing, being professional is another. Do some research and get outside the box. Knowledge is power.
I wasn't talking about a DJ doing this to support their lifestyle. Some don't need this to support themselves. Some have other income to take care of the way they live.
All I said is to be a professional you need to get paid. There are those who play in the NBA and can call themselves professionals. Yet they are not LeBron James. I'm very proud of what Taso has done upto now. Yet every DJ can't be like Taso
Now there are those like Taso doing this full time. That DJ has to get paid a certain amount or they won't be able to survive and they have to have a certain amount of events to do to maintain the way they live.
All I said is to be a professional you need to get paid. There are those who play in the NBA and can call themselves professionals. Yet they are not LeBron James. I'm very proud of what Taso has done upto now. Yet every DJ can't be like Taso
Now there are those like Taso doing this full time. That DJ has to get paid a certain amount or they won't be able to survive and they have to have a certain amount of events to do to maintain the way they live.
You've said something similar every single year I've interacted with you. And I'd bet that's been over the last 15-20 years at this point.
I literally think that every time lol. I think we can go back to 2016 or 17 where those posts began. I know you're phasing yourself out so your viewpoint may be different... but i'm personally booking faster, charging more, and my leads have not declined at all over the years. I am booking less events (60ish vs 70ish pre covid), but that's by design as I'm now focusing on a much more narrow portfolio of events.
Talent is not measured by price.
High prices are driven by scarcity, which is a function of population (location, demographics, etc.) across every level of available skill. Even the most impressive DJ is subject to demographics.
Personally, I sell services not 'packages' because I'm not a product and that's not what I want people to remember post event. I"m a professional who gets paid to produce a certain result. The result desired and the path to get there is very different from one event to the next.
The latter part of that is just wishful thinking.
I for one, have no issue owning that reputation. I just received a $400 check for a recent teen dance. ($400 was the appropriate price for a 2hr Tuesday event.) I'm also sending the same customer a $4,650. invoice for their other event.
To quote another client: "I'm calling you because I want to use someone I know I can trust." - Yeah, I own that.
Reputation stands apart from any number on an invoice. Positioning my services as a product or 'package' is never going to happen. There will always be new novelty, and other shiny items. It's ME and my reliability that I want people to talk about and share - not the photos. In the past 3 weeks alone I've had 4 customers who booked next year's event within 48 hours of completing the present one. (No website, no photos required.) Four other events booked after someone told them I was the person they should talk too. If there's one thing that stands out about this now, after so many years it's that I'm grounded in my own community. I almost never travel more than 20 miles for a gig. I used be all over New Englnd, from CT to ME, and as far west as Albany. That's when I was doing what most on here would suggest. I like this way better.
High prices are driven by scarcity, which is a function of population (location, demographics, etc.) across every level of available skill. Even the most impressive DJ is subject to demographics.
Personally, I sell services not 'packages' because I'm not a product and that's not what I want people to remember post event. I"m a professional who gets paid to produce a certain result. The result desired and the path to get there is very different from one event to the next.
The latter part of that is just wishful thinking.
I for one, have no issue owning that reputation. I just received a $400 check for a recent teen dance. ($400 was the appropriate price for a 2hr Tuesday event.) I'm also sending the same customer a $4,650. invoice for their other event.
To quote another client: "I'm calling you because I want to use someone I know I can trust." - Yeah, I own that.
Reputation stands apart from any number on an invoice. Positioning my services as a product or 'package' is never going to happen. There will always be new novelty, and other shiny items. It's ME and my reliability that I want people to talk about and share - not the photos. In the past 3 weeks alone I've had 4 customers who booked next year's event within 48 hours of completing the present one. (No website, no photos required.) Four other events booked after someone told them I was the person they should talk too. If there's one thing that stands out about this now, after so many years it's that I'm grounded in my own community. I almost never travel more than 20 miles for a gig. I used be all over New Englnd, from CT to ME, and as far west as Albany. That's when I was doing what most on here would suggest. I like this way better.
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I disagree. This line of work is (and aways has been) a BUBBLE in time.
It started with the record changer, and is ending with the cloud and AI. That's not to say that facilitators won't be needed going forward - but, they will in fact - be facilitators. It will be a completely different kind of talent that is sought,
The importnat question is: why? . . . and you are failing to recognize the real reason for it.
Most DJs are part time. Using a day off to perform another type work lacks incentive if it does not greatly exceed the wages they already earn.
Simple example: Lets take a median compensation value of $72,000. for someone's full time 9-5 job. This resolves to a value of $36 /hr. If a simple wedding sale and ultimate performance occupies 15 hours of time, then the target desired is an amount that greatly exceeds the value we would otherwise receive with overtime at our regular job:
$36 x 1.5 x 15 = $810.
When it comes to giving up their weekend - unless financially strapped with no regular overtime possible, most fully employed persons would not settle for anything less than twice, or triple what they already make! (I know because subcontracted DJs typically have very unrealistic pay expectations with respect to their actual skills.)
$810 x 2 = $1,620. to $810 x 3 = $2,430. and expenses would only push that higher.
But, here's the catch with respect to $3k DJs - few people are able to work in positions where they could not otherwise adapt professionally or socially. That's why you don't typically see housekeeping filling in for the concierge at major hotels. We have to have the skills and manner to serve at the level the position requires. This puts actual DJ skills in the backseat because your person and demeanor now rule the sale. I'm not denigrating housekeeping - just pointing out that when we change uniforms we must also understand all of the requirements and subtleties of the change in position. Not everyone is prepared or capable to do that.
Ultimately - it's not one's skill as a DJ that truly carries the day in the mobile DJ business. It's people skills. If we wanted to start a multi-op we would do well to hire people who already work in forward facing customer service positions. They would be the most relatable to a broad range of clients and demographics, and hence be key to developing new and recurring business.
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Not a major item... but worth pointing out, if you want clear $800 in net profit, you likely need to account for 20-30% in operating expenses, plus maybe a little more for higher fica taxes compared to w2... so you actually need to charge closer to $1100-$1200 to reach an equal $72k salary... and assume you book 52 events.
Your not wrong! I will continue to say what I feel my prediction is for the next 5 to 10 years I am here or until I stop participating here on ODJT so just get used to it! That ain't changing. I don't sugar coat things, and try to tell the truth the way I see it and or feel it.